Lake Elmo meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Lake Elmo boards review budget, street plan, parks; minutes pending

Lake Elmo city boards met over the past two weeks to review the proposed 2027 budget and levy, a street reconstruction plan, park projects, and an economic development initiative. No final decisions have been published; minutes for all five meetings are not yet available.

Budget and levy workshop

On Aug. 12, the City Council held a workshop to review the proposed 2027 Washington County Sheriff budget, an update on the Ladder 1 replacement project (CIP F-012), and draft 2027 city budgets and levy. The workshop also covered strategic financial plan projections and priorities, and a summary of budget changes. This was a discussion session, not a decision meeting.

Street reconstruction and county road project

On Aug. 18, the City Council heard a presentation from Washington County Project Manager Andrew Giesen on CSAH 13 (Ideal Avenue) improvements. The council also held a public hearing on a five-year street reconstruction plan related to 2026 bonding. The consent agenda included pay request #3 (final) for Village Parkway UPRR Crossing improvements, pay request #2 for Test Well 6, and parks court resurfacing at Carriage Station and Tablyn Park.

Parks Commission

On Aug. 17, the Parks Commission reviewed a request for proposals for a consultant for the 76-acre park, two baseball field donation proposals, a Magic Turf bid for VFW Field (8-12-26), a Twin City Lawn proposal (8-12-26), and the Ridge Park Playground project. The agenda also included approval of minutes and public comment.

Economic Development Authority

On Aug. 18, the Economic Development Authority approved minutes from its June 16, 2026 meeting, received a mid-year work plan progress report from Director Stopa, and reviewed a landfill solar initiative update by Tony Manzara. The EDA also proposed a special joint meeting for Sept. 1, 2026.

Closed session

Also on Aug. 18, the City Council held a special meeting with a single agenda item: a closed session to discuss labor negotiations strategy under Minn. Stat. sec. 13D.03, subd. 1. No other business was scheduled.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed for the next two weeks.

Lake Elmo councils weigh park plans, property offers, and 2027 service contract; no minutes published yet

Lake Elmo's advisory boards and City Council met the week of July 20, but residents should note that minutes have not yet been published for any of the recent sessions. The summaries below reflect what each body was scheduled to take up, not confirmed outcomes. Because no minutes are available, no votes, approvals, or dollar figures can be reported from those meetings.

Parks Commission — July 20

The Parks Commission was set to receive an update on the planned 76-acre park development. Also on the agenda were a Department of Natural Resources grant proposal for buckthorn removal at Sunfish Lake and a deer-hunting management presentation for Sunfish Lake Park.

For Ridge Park, the commission was scheduled to review three design options — Option 1, Option 2, and Option 3 — for a new playground, along with a barn proposal. Public comment was to follow the presentations.

Minutes for this meeting have not been published, so it is not yet known which design option, if any, the commission recommended.

City Council — July 21 (regular meeting)

The City Council was scheduled to consider several items, including a new service contract with the Youth Service Bureau for 2027. Other items on the agenda included:

• A special event permit for the Inwood Neighborhood.
• A temporary liquor license for the Lake Elmo Rotary.
• A security reduction for the Northstar 2nd Addition.
• Authorization of geotechnical services for the Section 16 Phase 2 sanitary sewer extension.
• Approval of payment requests for watermain and street improvements.
• A security reduction for the Primrose School watermain project.

No vote tallies or dollar amounts are available because minutes have not been published.

City Council — July 21 (special meeting)

The Council held a special meeting on July 21, 2026, with two closed-session items. Council members were scheduled to consider offers to purchase two parcels of real property:

• PID 1602921240002.
• The parcel at 11052 34th St. N (PID 1302921320012).

No other agenda items were listed. Because the property discussions occurred in closed session and minutes are not yet published, no outcomes can be reported.

Coming up

The next City Council meeting is scheduled for August 5, 2026. Items on the upcoming agenda include:

• A zoning text amendment and conditional use permit for a landscape supply business at 9591 60th St (MYP).
• A payroll and compensation policy update for full-time firefighters.
• Resolution 2026-057, which would authorize a deer management hunt in Sunfish Lake Park.
• An MPCA Grant Agreement for the Cimarron Park Water System Connection.
• Special event permits for the Easton Village Neighbors Market and the Lake Elmo Street Dance.
• Review of redevelopment plans for the Machete site.

Residents who want to confirm what was actually decided at the July meetings should watch for the official minutes on the City of Lake Elmo's website, as the agendas alone do not establish outcomes.

Lake Elmo council weighs property offers, development agreements in busy July stretch

Lake Elmo's City Council and Planning Commission held or scheduled several meetings in the first half of July covering property sales, development agreements, salaries, and zoning changes. Minutes have not yet been published for any of the recent meetings, so the items below reflect what was on each agenda rather than confirmed outcomes.

City Council

The council met July 7 to consider Ordinance 2026-08 regarding Mayor and Councilmember salaries, along with the Highpointe Crossing final plat and development agreement. Also on the agenda were contracts for 2026 seal coat and striping projects, first amendments to the Lake Elmo Elementary and Oak Land Middle School agreements, and a review of the Stormwater Utility Code. The council was also scheduled to review the 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report and discuss revisions to the city's purchasing policy. A separate closed session under Minnesota Statutes Section 13D.05 was set to discuss threatened litigation by Dresel Contracting.

On July 14, the council met at 3880 Laverne Avenue North to consider purchase offers for two city-owned properties: the old fire station at 3510 Laverne Avenue North and the old parks building at 11200 Upper 33rd Street. Both items were listed for closed-session discussion.

Planning Commission

The Planning Commission held a July 13 public hearing on a zoning text amendment and conditional use permit for 9591 60th Street North. The request, submitted by Yamile Gonzalez (DBA QBAN Properties, MYP Landscape Supply, and Valdes Lawn Care and Snow Removal), seeks to allow landscape supply sales in the Agriculture district and to permit expansion of the existing facility at that address. The commission's recommendation is to go to the City Council for later consideration.

The commission also received City Council updates on the 2040 Comprehensive Plan amendment concerning density and on the Inwood Commercial preliminary plat. Upcoming Planning Commission meetings were listed as July 27 (canceled), August 10, and August 24.

Council Workshop

A July 14 council workshop included a presentation on the Old City Hall report, covering a space-needs study and parking-lot concept designs. The Public Works Director presented an evaluation of request-based parking restrictions. The Finance Director discussed a draft Capital Improvement Program and related strategic financial planning, along with a stormwater analysis. Future agenda items were also outlined.

Coming up

• **July 20 — Parks Commission:** Update on the 76-acre park development; review of a DNR grant proposal for buckthorn removal at Sunfish Lake; deer-hunting management presentation for Sunfish Lake Park; and consideration of three design options for a new playground and a barn at Ridge Park. Public comment follows the presentations.
• **July 21 — City Council (regular):** Consideration of a 2027 service contract with the Youth Service Bureau; an Inwood Neighborhood special event permit; a temporary liquor license for the Lake Elmo Rotary; a security reduction for Northstar 2nd Addition; and authorization of geotechnical services for a Section 16 Phase 2 sanitary-sewer extension.
• **July 21 — City Council (special meeting):** Closed-session consideration of offers to purchase real property identified by PID 1602921240002 and the parcel at 11052 34th St. N (PID 1302921320012).